Antonio Salvador has put a real wrinkle into Newcastle's move for Lukáš Horníček. The SC Braga president said Hornicek already refused an England move, even as Newcastle look to trigger his €30million (£24.5m / $34.3m) release clause at Braga.
Salvador's revelation
Salvador said there was an offer from England for the Premier League, but Hornicek felt he should not go to that club. That is the detail that changes the tone of the chase, because it is not just a club-to-club deal. The player has already walked away from one approach, and Braga were happy to keep him.
The numbers around Hornicek help explain why Newcastle are still pressing. He kept 24 clean sheets across all competitions and 11 in Braga's Europa League run. Braga finished fourth in the 2024-25 Primeira Liga, so this is not a goalkeeper being chased off the back of a short purple patch.
Newcastle's goalkeeping reset
Hornicek would come into a group that is already being reshaped. Nick Pope's recent league ratings have gone 6.6, 8.2, 6.5, 7.5 and 7.2, while Newcastle have already brought in Ewen Jaouen, seen Martin Dubravka move to Tottenham Hotspur and watched Aaron Ramsdale return to Southampton after his loan ended.
The club's push for Hornicek fits that wider reset. Newcastle are closing in on a keeper they rate highly, but the transfer is not landing in a clean market. The player has already rejected one Premier League route, and Salvador's comments suggest Braga know exactly what they are dealing with. Newcastle's next step is to see whether the release clause is enough to finish it.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →
